Before being elected to the Dewan Rakyat (the lower house of Malaysia's Parliament), Saravanan was a Senator.[3] In the 2008 general election, he contested the seat of Tapah and won, defeating a People's Justice Party (PKR) candidate. The MIC suffered widespread losses at the election, leaving Saravanan as one of only three MIC members in the Dewan Rakyat.[4] Despite his party's reduced presence in Parliament and the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, Saravanan was appointed as a Deputy Minister.[5]

Within the MIC, Saravanan is seen as an ally of its President Samy Vellu, being elected as a vice-president of the MIC on Vellu's ticket[6] and defending Vellu from opposition attacks.[7] However he lost in the party re-election close fight for the position of Deputy President in 2015 to another MIC Vice-President, S. K. Devamany.[8][9][10]